Old blog, new home

I started this blog over twenty years ago over at Blogger. A great deal has changed since then. At the time, I was a center-right Republican, eager to see that George W. Bush wasn’t cheated out of the presidency. Now, I’m a center-right independent giving considerable thought to becoming a “Red Dog Democrat,” doing what I can to oppose an authoritarian movement that has taken over the Republican party and lies about a lesser man having been cheated out of the presidency.

Back then, I was worried about abortion and the growing hostility of the culture to my faith. I still am. But it turns out that the Republican Party is only pro-life until a person is born. I’m sickened by the hypocrisy of a party that claims that label but apparently values the economy more highly than human life, at least from its response to COVID and basic, common-sense public health measures to contain it.

If Roe v. Wade isn’t reversed or substantially modified by the Supreme Court as presently constituted, appointing more originalist judges isn’t going to help. And very honestly, I doubt whether the theoretically pro-life supermajority on the court is going to help much. I perceive that I’ve spent too much effort trying to win a battle politically that can only be won by changing people’s hearts and minds. Until that’s done, all the judges in the world aren’t going to win the battle. But now, our very democracy is under attack.

I once was adamently opposed to same-sex marriage. I still am, in a sense. Marriage is a pre-political institution. The government doesn’t get to define it. I cannot recognize same-sex marriage as “marriage,” the divine institution, and while gay and lesbian couples can certainly raise children, they need outside help to beget or bear them. And yet it’s hard to avoid the point that gay and lesbian couples have a right under the Constitution to the equal protection of the law. I still wince at the word “marriage” when it’s used to describe their relationships. But I believe that their committed relationships deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

The battle-lines are drawn differently now from what they were when I started this blog. A fresh start is appropriate. And when Feedburner decided to stop supporting email subscriptions, the convenience of Blogger ceased to be decisive.

So here I am. Same author. Same title. New platform, and new URL. New issues, new alliances, new battles. I thought about importing those 21 years worth of posts, with all the old baggage. But to quote Lincoln, “As our case is new, so we must think anew.” And so, here we are. A fresh start in a new home.

My opinions have changed on some things, but I don’t think my values have. Sadly, I can’t say the same either for the Republican Party or for many of my fellow Christians. I’ve been disillusioned by old allies, and made new ones. So Feedburner’s decision to drop email subscriptions comes at a fitting time.

As our case is new, so, I find, I must think anew. And it seems appropriate that I do it at a new blogging home.